Wednesday - Ronald McDonald House 5K

Over 1000 participants and part of the Buffalo News "Runner of the Year" series, in the same uptown neighborhood as the recent 4-mile race.  I had missed all the ROTY races up until the 4-miler and got no AG points there, so my goal was simply to get on the board (and hopefully place 1st AG).

Warming up, I spotted lots of competition and some guys much faster than I am.  Good, let's throw down.  All the trappings of a big race were present - painted start line, flags, mile placards, a police motorcade leading the way.  The weather was favorable, high 70's and dry air.  With minor aches in both feet still lingering from last week's PR, I wore my Elixirs instead of the usual race-day Mirages.

I lined up one row back, and the start was clean and fast.  The expected young guns began to push the pace early, and Jim passed me to keep with the leaders.  (Jim is a slightly-built, always smiling asian guy 2 age groups above me and runs 16:30's.  Damn.)  Then I noticed a big surprise -- Joe, who is 20 years my senior, was suddenly in first.  Joe is awe inspiring, turning in 87% AGP's, but there was no way he could maintain what must have been close to a 5:00 pace.  I was tempted to jokingly yell something to him about this not being a mile, but didn't know how it would be taken, so I bit my tongue.

We passed a guy with a watch and he read 4:51.  Ever the smart ass, I replied "you're not at a mile then" and carried on.  "Oh, there it is" as we passed the big sign with a 1 on it in 5:20ish.

Mile two seemingly never ended and the early pack had spread way out.  Ever so slowly, I reeled Joe in.  Behind, I could still hear frequent cheers that remind me to not slow down:  "Go, Jenny!".  After one last small incline, the 3 mile marker came into sight, and I launched a not-quite-100% kick, stealing a couple glances back to make sure Joe wasn't in striking distance.

17:24.  I congratulated the runners around me, chatted a bit, and watched other finishers for a while. Walked back to my car, changed, and grabbed a can of craft beer, not wanting to have to choke down Labatt's yet again.  After getting some post-race food to go with my drink, I noticed that the beer truck had Flying Bison, a local brewery.  $!@#! ok, grab one of those too, not a bad problem to have. 

My time held for the AG win and points, and I even managed a meager two points in the overall ROTY standings for my 9th OA placement.

Saturday - Pennies To Heaven 5K

A much smaller race on a circuitous route, in a cemetery behind the local basilica.  There may have been 100 runners. I spotted two competitors, Ray and Bill -- no chance of an easy win.  I'm familiar with this course, having run it twice before, and tried to avoid the usual jitters, alternating warm up jogging with just lying on the grass, watching the clouds and being calm.

As we lined up, I overhead Ray tell someone that he was going to pace his lady friend to a 22:00.  With no reason to assume any ruse, I could focus on one guy, and lined up directly behind Bill.  (In fact, the last time I raced on this course, it had been Bill beating my 2nd place effort by nearly a minute, en route to his 16:57, a mirror image of my PR.)  So I had a crystal clear game plan -  don't let him open a gap that I can't close for as long as possible.  This would be a real test, racing a guy who is exactly as fast as I am on our best days.

The gun went, and I began executing the plan right from the start.  Before a half mile, it was clear that no one else was even close, and so we ran on and on.   Up and down little inclines, around the many curves of the cemetery roads, past spectators mostly cheering for Bill with a couple cheering for me.  He was maintaining an average of 15 yards on me, and I never challenged for the lead, just focused on not letting the gap get bigger.  After 2 miles, a spectator yelled a warning to Bill -- "2nd place is only a few seconds behind".  Some little intuition had me thinking that my shorter, faster turnover might allow me to outkick his long efficient stride if only I could make it to that juncture.  And I knew exactly where the kick had to drop, just as we passed a mausoleum towards the final straightaway.

16 minutes and 30 seconds of playing follow the leader were finally over, and I summoned everything left to pick it up and position myself within 10 yards for the final kick.  Mausoleum.  Boom -- do it, do it now.  A frozen moment of him looking over in surprise as I ripped towards the chute with every last ounce of speed, still not confident that he wouldn't fend me off.  Across the line, chest heaving and legs like jelly, and a moment of something like remorse for having sniped someone yet again.

I went over and congratulated Bill, who looked really disappointed.  After teetering around dizzily for a few minutes, one of our really fast Masters' guys who had volunteered this time came up and said "I knew that was coming, I could see it in your eyes."  That really meant a lot for some reason, and it was a bit eerie how my plan had played out exactly as it had been in my mind.

There was chocolate ice cream to be had at the party.  Oh yeah.

I had some ding a ling yell to a runner at the the 3 mile mark that I was closing in on her that I had been reeling in for 3 damn miles!  I know there is nothing to say that someone cannot do that, I just think it is bad form.  How about this, you're not in the race, shut the hell up.

I do not think I could ever look back during a kick in a 5k so kudos for that.  Next time you see Joe pre-race, mention to him that line about it not being a mile race, he will probably appreciate it.

"and it was a bit eerie how my plan had played out exactly as it had been in my mind."

Those are the things we dream about during Tuesday morning, Thursday evening or Saturday afternoon runs when no one else is around, visualizing victory!

Wow Jay! Will you teach me how to do that?!

Btw, it would be nice of you if one day you paced Jenny. I want Jenny to win a race!

 

P.S. Did I miss your finish time in the second race? 16:30 plus a final kick? :-)

That would be fun, she wins plenty but I think you mean beating all the men as well?  I like your plan.

The 2nd race was unofficially 17:19ish.

Well hell, you left out the most important part.  What beer did you grab out of your car after the first race?

jay - great job describing the action...makes for some great reading...couldn't imagine racing it...congrats again on some impressive racing!

Great job Jay. I actually read these yesterday but I didn't get a chance to respond until today. Apparently a one or two sentence response clearly would have taken too long to actually type out after I read something akin to a short story (or 2).

Congratulations speedy Jay!  Not only are you a good runner you're an excellent writer.  Your reports make us feel like we're there.